Plant systematic and biodiversity laboratory
Plant Systematic and Biodiversity
From ecosystems to genes, the lab concentrates on the study of plants and fungi, as well as the biodiversity that they represent. The research activities are linked with the Conservatoire et jardin botaniques de Genève. Many different types of research are currently being carried out:
Floras: to name and identify plant and fungi species of several different countries or regions (e.g. Switzerland, Corsica and Paraguay).
Biosystematic studies: to better classify and understand certain groups of plants, lichens and fungi. These monographs allow us to contribute, as specialists, to other floras across the world (most notably, Flora Neotropica, Flora Mesoamericana, the floras of Guyana, Ecuador, China, Colombia, various states of Brazil and of the United States of America).
Vegetation ecology: to understand the natural environment and the changes induced by man (deforestation, climate warming).
Phylogeny and molecular genetic studies: to understand the evolution of species and their relationship with one another as well as the mechanisms by which to better conserve those species threatened by extinction.
Research topics
Switzerland and Corsica Flora.
Phylogeography of Astronium, Geoffrea, Eryngium, Silene.
Biosystematic studies of Usnea, Leiocola, Gesneriaceae, Aquifoliaceae, Palmae, etc.
DNA barcoding.
Vegetation studies of north Madagascar Mountains.
Interdisciplinary
Nature Conservation
Speciation
Plant ecology
Herbaria collection
